Following several acclaimed shorts, Marie-Elsa Sgualdo makes her feature debut with a film about quiet decisions that shape the future. Set in a village in neutral Switzerland during World War II, young Emma adopts adult responsibilities at home until the arrival of a journalist turns her life upside down. The village’s isolated, Protestant community demands virtue and submission, seeking to control her body, her money, and her future. Yet these demands clash with Emma’s growing awareness: of both her own self-determination and the despair of those devastated by the conflict. Benoit Dervaux—habitual collaborator of the Dardenne brothers—brings striking cinematography to this original period drama, escaping clichés to convincingly capture the resolute gaze of 15-year-old Emma (a formidable Lila Gueneau) as she uncovers a harsh truth: nobody remains neutral in times of war.